A delicate beauty takes a place in a marriage, while a cold, rough man seduces her every night.

The bicycle came to a steady stop at the gate of the courtyard.

Duoduo jumped off the back seat first, her bright black eyes curiously observing the two strangers standing in front of her house.

"Brother! Aunt!"

Qiao Qingyan kicked off the car brake and rushed forward almost immediately, her heart pounding with excitement, giving each of them a firm hug.

Xiao Jingye, who was riding his bike back from the other end of the road, looked up and saw her smiling broadly as she hugged a young man and jumped around.

My heart sank.

Qingyan released He Yannian, her bright eyes darting back and forth between him and her aunt, full of surprise: "Brother, Aunt, when did you arrive?"

"I only arrived this afternoon," Joni said with a smile. "I was originally going to stay in the city for one night and come tomorrow morning, but your brother couldn't wait and insisted on seeing you today."

She wore a high-quality camel-colored wool coat, and her hair was curly and wavy, exuding the elegance of a mature woman.

He Yannian, who was standing to the side, reached out and ruffled Qingyan's hair: "He was supposed to come around the National Day holiday, but my dad's work has been busy and he couldn't make it. So Aunt Qiao and I came to see you together."

At the door, Qiao Nianshan, holding a pipe, couldn't hide his joy. He Yannian and Qiao Ni had arrived at his house first, and he had led them there.

Zeng Yumei warmly greeted them, "Qingyan's aunt, come in, come in and sit down."

Just then, the roar of a motorcycle came from afar.

Everyone instinctively turned their heads to look, and saw a man with cold eyes and deep features riding a black motorcycle toward them.

The motorcycle came to a steady stop at the door. Xiao Jingye braced his long legs on the ground and stared straight at the man who had just been embracing Qingyan.

The other person was tall and slender with a gentle face. He was wearing a gray suit, which was not particularly formal but rather a casual and relaxed style.

Like wealthy men in the city, playboys who specialize in toying with young girls' feelings.

Is this her cousin whom she grew up with?

"Brother, Aunt, this is Jinye." Qingyan introduced her husband to her two relatives, her face showing a hint of shyness.

Xiao Jingye stepped out of the car, casually pulled out the key, his movements were neat and handsome, exuding a cold and hard aura.

He walked to Qingyan's side, naturally took her hand, and nodded slightly to the two people in front of him: "Aunt, Brother."

He Yannian looked up and met his gaze. Their eyes collided in mid-air, like adversaries facing off on a battlefield, with undercurrents surging and the air thick with tension.

Joni quietly observed the young man in front of her. He was tall and strong, with handsome and outstanding features, much better than she had imagined.

He stood beside Qingyan, one strong and the other gentle, they were inexplicably a perfect match.

No wonder Qingyan likes it; this girl takes after her and likes handsome guys.

Qingyan couldn't hide her joy and said happily, "Brother, Aunt, let's go inside."

The group of people, in a lively and bustling manner, entered the Xiao family courtyard.

Zeng Yumei led Duoduo to the kitchen, busy boiling water to prepare for the guests.

It was rare to see the Xiao family's main hall so lively.

After Qiao Ni and He Yannian sat down, their gazes slowly swept over the clean and tidy farmhouse courtyard.

Mud walls, an old courtyard, an ancient well, a flock of chickens and ducks, a silly little girl biting her fingers and peeking out from the kitchen door, and an old man with a limp.

After looking around, the two of them unconsciously looked at Qingyan with more heartache and guilt.

Qiao Ni's eyes were slightly red as she held Qing Yan's hand and said, "Qing Yan, it's your aunt's fault."

If it weren't for some family troubles at the time, she wouldn't have sent her niece back to the countryside, leaving her to live such a miserable life now.

Qingyan was completely confused by these words, but Xiao Jingye, who was standing next to her, raised an eyebrow and understood.

The aunt felt sorry for her niece who had married such a rustic man.

He glanced at his wife; she had big eyes, a small mouth, and snow-white skin that never seemed to tan. She was fair, delicate, and lively, with an outstanding temperament—the most beautiful girl in the surrounding villages.

He has indeed climbed the social ladder.

Qiao Nianshan tapped his pipe and looked at his younger sister, Qiao Ni, asking, "How many days will you be staying this time?"

"About a week."

Only a week?

Qingyan immediately looked disappointed, took Qiaoni's arm and shook it gently, and said in a coquettish voice, "Auntie, can you stay a little longer? I haven't seen you in so long."

Qiao Ni said helplessly, "We can't stay for too long. Your brother was transferred to the Bureau of Commerce a while ago, and he will be returning to Beijing to report for duty in about ten days."

"The Bureau of Commerce?" Qingyan's eyes lit up. "Brother, you're amazing!"

"It was arranged by the organization," He Yannian said calmly, looking at her.

The group reminisced and chatted for quite a while.

Xiao Jingye sat silently beside Qingyan, watching her joyful smile.

When his gaze shifted to Qingyan's other side, he suddenly noticed that He Yannian, who was sitting there, was also intently staring at his wife's face.

His gaze was so focused that it made Xiao Jingye feel inexplicably awkward.

Just then, Zeng Yumei called from the kitchen, asking Xiao Jingye to go and fetch the kettle to make tea.

As soon as Xiao Jingye stood up, Qingyan immediately stood up as well: "Aunt, brother, please sit down and rest for a while."

She trotted after the tall man, and together they slipped into the kitchen.

"Why are you following me?" Xiao Jingye turned his head to look at her.

Qingyan gently reminded him, "I came to tell you that my brother doesn't like strong tea, so please use less tea leaves for him later. Also, my aunt never drinks tea, so please make her some honey later."

Xiao Jingye: "......."

Qingyan reached out and gently patted his lower back, blinking her eyes: "Do your best."

Her aunt and He Yannian were her closest relatives in the world. This was their first time meeting Xiao Jingye, and Qingyan hoped they would like him.

After giving the instructions, Qingyan hurried back to the main room to keep her company.

A moment later, Xiao Jingye came out of the kitchen carrying a kettle full of hot water.

Inside the main room, He Yannian glanced at the simple furnishings, his brows furrowing slightly. He looked at Qingyan earnestly and said, word by word, "Qingyan, come back to the capital with me."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Jingye, who was standing outside the door, paused.

"Why are you going back to Beijing?" Qingyan asked.

"Are you really planning to stay in the countryside for the rest of your life? I already discussed it with Aunt Qiao on the way here. If you're willing, you can come back to Beijing with us this time. If you want to work, I'll help you find a job, and our family will live in Beijing from now on."

Qiao Ni sat silently to the side. She could tell that Qing Yan had fallen for the country boy and probably wouldn't agree easily.

Xiao Jingye, who was outside the door carrying a water bottle, twitched his ears and furrowed his brows.

Aunt Qiao?

Xiao Jingye suddenly recalled the letter He Yannian had written to Qingyan that he had read aloud before, those intimate yet meaningful words... At the time, he always felt that something was strange about it.

In hindsight, he was right.

This isn't a legitimate cousin at all.

Someone's here to steal his wife!